UPDATE: Mumps vaccination clinics Wednesday and Thursday

Columbus State has finalized plans with the medical staff at Columbus Public Health
to arrange a clinic for students to get the mumps immunization free of charge. As
you may be aware, there have been more than 200 cases of the mumps in Central Ohio
this spring. While only four cases have been linked to students at Columbus State,
health care experts suggest that anyone who has not been vaccinated should receive
the mumps immunization.

Here is the schedule for the two-day clinic in the Nestor Hall West Lounge:

Wednesday, April 23 – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 24 – 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

While the vaccination is free of charge to students, each student must print and fill
out this form to turn it in when they arrive at the clinic: Mumps Vaccination Registration Form

Keep in mind that pregnant women are not able to receive the mumps vaccine.

As you may have heard, the immunization is a two-step process with two doses, one
month apart. Details on the second step will be made once this clinic is completed.

For students who can't attend the clinic, Columbus Public Health provides the immunizations
to anyone who is uninsured free of charge at their headquarters at 240 Parsons Avenue.
It's offered from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. every weekday except on Tuesday. Each Tuesday
it's offered from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can call the clinic at 614-645-7417 for more
information or check out their website here: http://columbus.gov/publichealth/

General Mumps Information

Some adults should also get MMR vaccine: Generally, anyone 18 years of age or older
who was born after 1956 should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine, unless they can
show that they have either been vaccinated or had all three diseases. MMR vaccine
may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

Who should not get the MMR vaccine?

Anyone who has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to the antibiotic neomycin,
or any other component of MMR vaccine, should not get the vaccine. Tell your doctor
if you have any severe allergies.

Anyone who had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose of MMR or MMRV
vaccine should not get another dose.

Some people who are sick at the time the shot is scheduled may be advised to wait
until they recover before getting MMR vaccine.

Pregnant women should not get MMR vaccine. Pregnant women who need the vaccine should
wait until after giving birth. Women should avoid getting pregnant for 4 weeks after
vaccination with MMR vaccine.